High school football player accused of killing pregnant classmate, leaving body in dumpster

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MISHAWAKA, Ind. – A 16-year-old high school football player is accused of killing a 17-year-old student who was pregnant with his child and leaving her body in a dumpster in Mishawaka, Indiana, authorities said.

St. Joseph County Metro Homicide named the victim as Breana Rouhselang, a junior at Mishawaka High School. The 16-year-old accused of killing her, Aaron Trejo, was on the school’s football team, according to the Associated Press.

According to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office, Trejo was arrested Sunday and is expected to be tried as an adult on one count of murder and one count of feticide, the South Bend Tribune reports.

The Tribune reported that Trejo was the father of the baby and that the two had decided to meet Saturday night to discuss the pregnancy. Rouhselang was reportedly six months pregnant.

According to charging documents, Trejo told detectives that Rouhselang had waited too long to tell him about the pregnancy to get an abortion. When asked what happened that night, Trejo allegedly said, “I took action … I took her life,” and admitted to stabbing her in the chest with a knife.

Assistant Commander Lt. Alex Arendt told reporters that Rouhselang’s family had contacted the Mishawaka Police Department about 4:30 a.m. Sunday to report her missing after last seeing her at home around midnight.

“Upon their arrival and a search of the area they found evidence of a possible violent crime,” Arendt said.

Police continued to search the area for her and ultimately found her body in a dumpster behind a business, Arendt said.

“It was a location of opportunity to try to hide the victim, I would assume,” he said.

An autopsy showed that Rouhselang died from multiple stab wounds and that her scarf had been wrapped so tightly around her neck that it was already strangling her before she died.

Community offers condolences

CNN affiliate WNDU reported that Rouhselang had been a cheerleader and softball player at Mishawaka High School. WNDU said her body was found behind Pasquale Rulli’s restaurant.

“Our condolences to the families involved in the tragedy that took place by our restaurant overnight. The Rulli family are upset that this took place in our neighborhood and are saddened for our Mishawaka city,” the restaurant wrote on Facebook.

Mishawaka High School released a statement Sunday afternoon on Rouhselang’s death, saying it was a terrible tragedy.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members and friends who have been affected by this great loss. Our focus now is to offer all of the support possible to our staff and students,” the school said.

The school said it would be open Monday morning, with grief counselors available to students.